The Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition
Featuring The Doni Glover Show LIVE and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards
(BALTIMORE, MD – June 26, 2026) —In celebration of National Black Business Month, BMORENews and BlackUSA.News present The Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition, featuring The Doni Glover Show LIVE and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards.
Building on more than 15 years of honoring Black excellence through the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, the Summit expands the conversation by bringing together public leaders, entrepreneurs, developers, business owners, and community builders for an evening dedicated to leadership, wealth creation, and institution-building.
The Summit will take place on Wednesday, August 5, 2026, from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center, 1315 Division Street in West Baltimore.
At its core is one fundamental question:
How Do Communities Create and Sustain Lasting Progress?
For veteran journalist, publisher, and doctoral student Doni Glover, the answer lies in understanding the relationship between politics and economics—not as separate disciplines, but as interconnected forces that shape communities every day.
“When I was working on my master’s degree, one of the areas that stayed with me was political economy—the relationship between politics and economics,” Glover said.
“The longer I’ve studied it, and the longer I’ve covered Baltimore, the clearer it has become: politics influences where resources go, economics determines who has access to opportunity, and communities are strongest when those forces are aligned.
“People sometimes ask why we’re putting elected officials and developers on the same stage. To me, those aren’t separate conversations. You can’t talk about community progress by only talking about elections. You can’t get there by only talking about business. You have to talk about both—at the same time, in the same room.
“If we’re serious about stronger neighborhoods, stronger businesses, and stronger families, we have to talk about public leadership and private investment together. That’s the philosophy behind this Summit.”
That philosophy is reflected throughout the evening’s programming.
The Leadership Forum
The Primary Is Over. What’s Your Agenda?
The Summit opens with The Leadership Forum, featuring Baltimore’s Democratic nominees:
- Sabrina Tapp-Harper, Democratic nominee for Baltimore City Sheriff
- Arkia Wade, Democratic nominee for Baltimore County Council
- Delegate Malcolm Ruff, Esquire, Democratic nominee for Maryland State Senate, 41st Legislative District
With the primary election behind them and the general election ahead, each nominee will discuss the vision, priorities, and agenda they hope to pursue if elected.
The conversation will focus on governing, accountability, and the practical steps necessary to strengthen neighborhoods, expand economic opportunity, improve public safety, support families, and build a more prosperous future.
The Black Wealth Forum
Building Black Wealth: Real Estate, Entrepreneurship & Community Investment
The Summit’s second forum shifts from public leadership to private-sector leadership.
Joining Glover are four leaders whose work represents different approaches to creating economic opportunity and generational wealth.
Vennieth McCormick, CEO of New Life Recovery Center, will discuss downtown mixed-use development, neighborhood revitalization, and the role that mission-driven investment can play in transforming communities.
Renny Bass, owner of the Downtown Cultural Arts Center and an internationally recognized real estate developer, will examine commercial development and investment, as well as the importance of creating sustainable business ecosystems. His portfolio also includes the Shops at North & Charles and projects throughout Baltimore, the United States, and abroad.
Kevin Scott, developer and entrepreneur behind Benedetto Haberdashery, will share his experiences of combining commercial redevelopment with entrepreneurship to create opportunities for others.
Jacqui Cummings, founder of Notre Maison Connects and a commercial property owner, will discuss business incubation, commercial real estate, and her work creating opportunities for dozens of Black-owned businesses along West 25th Street through the Black Wall Street on 25th initiative.
Together, they will explore how ownership, entrepreneurship, strategic investment, commercial real estate, and collaboration can strengthen neighborhoods, create jobs, expand Black-owned businesses, and build generational wealth.
The Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards
The Summit also features the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards, which recognize individuals whose work reflects excellence in entrepreneurship, leadership, service, and institution-building.
August Honorees
- Xavier Harper
- Donna Bruce
For more than fifteen years, the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards has recognized more than 3,000 leaders in nine cities, celebrating entrepreneurs, educators, clergy, nonprofit leaders, public servants, elected officials, and community builders whose work advances Black economic empowerment.
Named in honor of the late Baltimore businessman Joe Manns, the awards celebrate the enduring values of ownership, entrepreneurship, service, and institution building.
The Summit’s National Black Business Month theme also reflects the legacy of Marcus Garvey, whose vision of Black enterprise and economic self-determination continues to inspire generations. Observing National Black Business Month during Garvey’s birth month provides an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of ownership, investment, and the building of institutions that create opportunities for future generations.
Glover believes the strongest communities are those whose institutions work together.
“Our community is strongest when our institutions are working together. Government has a role. Business has a role. The faith community has a role. Educators have a role. Lawyers have a role. Activists have a role. Journalists have a role. When those institutions are moving in the same direction, communities become stronger.”
He also hopes the Summit inspires the next generation of leaders.
“One of my greatest hopes is that young people leave encouraged. Whether you’ve started a business, invested in a neighborhood, organized your community, or stepped forward to run for public office, you’ve accepted responsibility for something larger than yourself.
“I want young entrepreneurs, developers, nonprofit leaders, journalists, public servants, and community organizers to know there is a place for them. We need them. We support them. And we’re counting on them to build institutions that will outlast all of us.”
The Black Wall Street Summit is designed to move beyond conversation alone.
It is a gathering where journalism meets public policy.
Where entrepreneurship meets community development.
Where leadership meets accountability.
Where recognition meets responsibility.
And where the next generation can see that lasting progress is built by people willing to lead, invest, serve, and build.
Event Information
The Black Wall Street Summit: National Black Business Month Edition
Featuring The Doni Glover Show LIVE and the Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards
Wednesday, August 5, 2026
6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center
1315 Division Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21217
Admission is free and open to the public. RSVP to https://blackwallstreetsummit26.eventbrite.com
Production Partners
The Doni Glover Show LIVE is executive produced by STEM CITY USA and G. Grant Griffin Media.
BMORENews extends special thanks to Dr. Alvin C. Hathaway Sr., President and CEO of Beloved Community Services Corporation, for hosting this National Black Business Month celebration at the Justice Thurgood Marshall Amenity Center.
Additional thanks to Dr. Tyrone Taborn, Chairman and CEO of Career Communications Group and founder of STEM CITY USA; Bryan Davis; and Rondy Griffin of G. Grant Griffin Media for their leadership and support.
About BMORENews
Founded in 2002, BMORENews is one of America’s longest-running independent Black-owned multimedia news organizations. Through journalism, broadcasting, and community engagement, BMORENews documents Black business, politics, education, faith, and culture throughout Baltimore and the African Diaspora.
Its Joe Manns Black Wall Street Awards initiative has honored more than 3,000 leaders in nine cities, celebrating entrepreneurship, economic empowerment, and community excellence while continuing to build institutions that strengthen communities.
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